Within the North Atlantic Ocean, tropical or subtropical cyclones are named by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) when they are judged to have intensified into a tropical storm with winds of at least 65 km/h, (40 mph). Six lists of names are used in alphabetical order, and maintained by the World Meteorological Organization with them rotating on a yearly basis. Significant tropical cyclones have their names removed from the lists with a replacement name selected at the next World Meteorological Organization Regional Association IV Hurricane Committee meeting. If all of the names on a list are used, storms are named after the letters of the Greek alphabet (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, etc.). Greek names, unlike the names in the regular lists, cannot be removed. If a storm ever reached the magnitude that might otherwise have led to retirement, the storm would be listed with the retired names with a footnote indicating the Greek letter would still be available for future storms.[1][2][3]

Within the Eastern Pacific Ocean two offices of the United States National Weather Service assign names to tropical cyclones when they are judged to have intensified into a tropical storm with winds of at least 65 km/h, (40 mph). Tropical cyclones that become tropical storms between the coast of Americas and 140°W are named by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), whilst tropical cyclones intensifying into tropical storms between 140°W and 180° are named by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC). Significant tropical cyclones have their names retired from the lists and a replacement name selected at the next World Meteorological Organization Regional Association IV Hurricane Committee meeting.

When a tropical depression intensifies into a tropical storm to the north of the Equator between the coastline of the Americas and 140°E then it will be named by the NHC. Six lists of names are maintained by the World Meteorological Organization with them rotating on a yearly basis. Significant tropical cyclones have their names retired from the lists with a replacement name selected at the next World Meteorological Organization Regional Association IV Hurricane Committee meeting. If all of the names on a list are used, storms are then named after the letters of the Greek alphabet (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, etc.). Greek names, unlike the names in the regular lists, cannot be retired. If a storm ever reached the magnitude that might otherwise have led to retirement, the storm would be listed with the retired names with a footnote indicating the Greek letter would still be available for future storms.

When a tropical depression intensifies into a tropical storm to the north of the Equator between 140°W and 180° it is named by the CPHC. Four lists of names are maintained by the World Meteorological Organization, rotating without regard to year, with the first name for a new year being the next name in sequence that was not used the previous year. Significant tropical cyclones have their names retired from the lists, with a replacement name selected at the next World Meteorological Organization Regional Association IV Hurricane Committee meeting. The last name to be used from this list was Omeka, whilst the next will be Pewa.

Within the Northwestern Pacific Ocean there are two separate agencies who assign names to tropical cyclones which often results in a cyclone having two names. The Japan national weather service names tropical cyclones should they be judged to have 10-minute sustained wind speeds of 65 km/h, (40 mph), to the north of the equator between the 180° and 100°E. The Philippine national weather service also assigns names to tropical cyclones which move into or form as a tropical depression in their area of responsibility located between 135°E and 115°E and between 5°E-25°E even if the cyclone has had a name assigned to it by the Japanese national weather service.

Tropical cyclones are named from the following lists by the Japanese national weather service, once they become a tropical storm. Names are contributed by members of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee. Each of the 14 nations or territories submitted 10 names, which are used in alphabetical order, by the English name of the country.[4][5]

The Philippine national weather service uses its own naming scheme for tropical cyclones in their area of responsibility. PAGASA assigns names to tropical depressions that form within their area of responsibility, and any tropical cyclone that moves into their area of responsibility. Should the list of names for a given year prove to be insufficient, names are taken from a reserve list of names, with the first ten published every year.[6]

Within this basin when a deep depression is judged to have become a Cyclonic Storm it will be named by the Indian national weather service. The list of names were selected between 2000 and 2004 by the countries of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on tropical cyclones, before the actual naming of tropical cyclones began in September 2004.

Within the South-west Indian Ocean, tropical and subtropical depressions that are judged to have 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 65 km/h, (40 mph) or more for at least 6 hours by the national weather service of Reunion Island are usually assigned a name. However it is the Mauritius and Madagascan national weather services who name the systems. The National weather service of Mauritius name the storm should it intensify into a moderate tropical storm between 55°E and 90°E; if the storm should intensify into a moderate tropical storm between 30°E and 55°E then the national weather service of Madagascar assigns the appropriate name to the storm. Tropical cyclones moving into this region from the Australian Region are renamed by the Sub-Regional Tropical Cyclone Advisory Center in Mauritius; however tropical cyclones moving into the Australian region do not get renamed. New name lists are used every year, whilst a name is normally only used once so thus no names are retired.[5][7]

Within the Australian Region there are five different offices that assign names to tropical cyclones. However, as three of the offices are run by the Australian national weather service, only 3 lists of names are operated. A tropical depression is judged to have intensified into a tropical cyclone if winds reach 65 km/h, (40 mph) and it is clear that gales are occurring more than halfway around the center. Significant tropical cyclones have their names retired from the lists and a replacement name selected at the next World Meteorological Organization Regional Association V Tropical Cyclone Committee meeting.[8]

When a tropical depression intensifies into a tropical cyclone between the Equator and 10°S and between 90°E and 125°E then it will be named by the Indonesian national weather service. Should a tropical low intensify into a tropical cyclone between the Equator and 10°S and between 141°E and 160°E are assigned names by the Tropical Cyclone Warning Center in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Tropical Depressions intensifying into tropical cyclones in all other areas between 90°E and 160°E as well as the Equator and 40°S are named by the Australian national weather service. Should a tropical cyclone pass from one warning center to another it will retain its original name, except when moving into the South-West Indian Ocean where the Mauritius Meteorological Service will rename the system.[7][8]

When a tropical depression intensifies into a tropical cyclone between the Equator and 10°S and between 90°E - 125°E, it will be named by the Indonesian Weather Service. Names are currently assigned in sequence from list A, while list B is a list of names that will replace names on list A that are retired.[8][9]

When a tropical low intensifies into a tropical cyclone between 10°S and 40°S and between 90°E - 160°E, then it will be named by one of three Australian national weather service offices in Perth, Darwin, or Brisbane. Starting with Anika, the names are assigned in alphabetical order with the lists used in rotating order without regard to year.[8][10]

When a tropical low intensifies into a tropical cyclone between the equator and 10°S and between 141°E - 160°E then it will be named by the Papua New Guinea's national weather service. Names from List A are assigned in a random order while list B details replacement names for list A which will be added in the bottom of list A to maintain the alphabetical order.[8]

Within the Southern Pacific a tropical depression is judged to have reach tropical cyclone intensity should it reach winds of 65 km/h (40 mph), and it is evident that gales are occurring at least halfway around the center. Tropical depressions that should intensify into a tropical cyclone between the Equator and 25°S and between 160°E - 120°W are named by the Fiji national weather service. Should a Tropical Depression intensify to the south of 25°S between 160°E and 120°W, it will be named in conjunction with the Fijian national weather service by the New Zealand's national weather service. Significant tropical cyclones have their names retired from the lists and a replacement name selected at the next World Meteorological Organization Regional Association V Tropical Cyclone Committee meeting, whilst tropical cyclones that move into the Australian region will retain its original name.[8]

Tropical cyclone formation is rare within the Mediterranean sea, South Atlantic and to the east of 120W in the Southern Pacific, as a result there are no official naming lists for these areas although in 2004 & 2010 when tropical cyclones formed within the South Atlantic they were named as Catarina and Anita.